There’s something about competition that gets the adrenaline flowing. No matter the situation, people are likely to participate if the prospect of winning something is involved.
But what about in email marketing? Can the prospect of competition or fun incentives get subscribers to click on your emails?
Yes, it can. This is where gamification comes in.
Email gamification helps your brand stand out among the hundreds of emails your leads get in their inbox.
As a result, people are more likely to open your emails, which can increase conversions.
What is Gamification in Email Marketing Campaigns
Gamification is the process of applying game-like components to non-game activities like email to engage and incentivize subscribers. At Growth Hackers, we implemented gamified email campaigns for a DTC beauty brand using points and reward tiers, driving a boost in email click-through rates and most importantly a 34% lift in repeat purchases in less than half a year.
Point systems, rewards, and competitions are some examples of gamification you can apply to your email marketing strategy. These strategies encourage email subscribers to engage because by participating, they know an exciting reward is in store.
How to Use Gamification and Incentives to Boost Your Email Marketing Campaigns | 8 Fun-Filled Ideas
Are you ready to take your email marketing to the next level? Here are some out-of-the-box ideas for your next campaign.
1. Feedback Surveys
Need to gather data about your email subscribers? Maybe you want to know about their favorite products from your brand. Or, perhaps you want to learn what topics they’re interested in and the content they’d like to see in your newsletter.
Sending a survey email is a great way to get this information. But it doesn’t have to be any old survey. Some people don’t want to be bothered with answering questions, especially if they have tons of emails to get through.
However, incentivizing them with some type of reward can add some motivation. In fact, game-based motivation can boost user engagement rates by 48%. One way to do this is to offer subscribers gifts or discounts for participating in your survey.
However, adding game elements can take things to the next level. One example is sweepstakes for survey participants. So, when subscribers answer the survey, they can enter a sweepstakes to win a reward, such as a gift card or special discount.
Using specialized survey tools can help streamline this process and make it easier for your subscribers to engage without feeling overwhelmed by long questionnaires or complex formats.
2. Spin the Wheel
Who doesn’t love a game of Spin the Wheel? As the wheel spins, you get closer and closer to your reward, building anticipation for what’s to come.
The curiosity it creates makes Spin the Wheel a great option to add to your email marketing gamification strategy.
That’s why “wheels of fortune” have a higher engagement rate (13.23%) compared to regular email pop-ups (5.10% to 7.65%).
Throw in some goodies, offers, and deals to entice subscribers to play. At Growth Hackers, we worked with a fashion eCommerce store that was struggling with stagnant opt-ins, and after introducing a Spin the Wheel popup on their Shopify website, their subscriber acquisition rate increased almost instantly.
You can add a Spin the Wheel to your emails using a widget like Mailmodo. It even allows you to customize the rewards based on your target audience, email campaigns, and industry.
3. Real Game Experience
There are game-like elements. And then there are real games.
You can add a real game experience to your marketing emails to boost engagement.
For example, the American Army’s war simulation game aims to attract more young people to join the army. Applicants not only experience what it may be like to be in combat, but they also get the chance to engage in some fun as part of the application experience.
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4. Contests
Contests are also great incentives for your email list to engage with your brand.
When there’s a chance of getting a prize, people are always looking to participate. Plus, contests are perfect for breaking away from the hum and drum of checking emails.
So, think about a fun contest you can create that’s relevant to your business and your audience.
Here’s how to create a contest that generates attention and engages people with your business.
- Send your subscribers a series of emails over a few days.
- Include a clue, challenge, or interactive element related to your brand or products in each email.
- Require subscribers to engage with your emails, solve challenges, or follow clues.
- Subscribers who complete the email quest will automatically be entered to win the contest for a mystery prize.
Check out this example by Microsoft.
By taking a swing at the virtual pinata, subscribers enter a contest for a chance to win:
- Razer Blade 15 Advanced 15.6” Gaming Laptop
- 12 months of Microsoft 365 Family
- 12 months of Xbox PC Game Pass
- HP Reverb G2 VR Headset
- Surface Laptop Go
And your contests don’t have to be just for your subscribers. It can also be for people who haven’t signed up for your email list yet but have interacted with your brand in some way.
Consider adding a lead form to your website to entice visitors to subscribe to your list. Be sure to let them know what they’ll get in return if they can enter your contest.
At Growth Hackers, we turned a skincare brand’s email list into a treasure hunt, where every email acted like a map fragment, and this narrative-driven contest lifted engagement across the campaign sequence.
5. Pop Quizzes
Everyone loves a good challenge every now and then, especially if there’s something in it for them if they’re successful.
When people answer questions correctly, they feel a sense of fulfillment, so pop quizzes effectively boost customer engagement.
But be careful not to make your quizzes too difficult, or your subscribers might give up before completing the process.
You can make quizzes about any topic, so they don’t have to be related to your brand or industry.
Use a widget to add pop quizzes within your email. And if subscribers get the answers right, they can receive an exciting discount code.
You can also include the interactive quiz on your website. But here’s the catch: Your audience must sign up using their email to see their results and get their prize.
So, adding interactive content like quizzes isn’t only an effective strategy for engaging subscribers but also for gaining new ones.
6. Puzzles
Brain-teasing puzzles are a gamification element that can boost user engagement. At Growth Hackers, we turned a online retail brand’s email campaigns into a mental gym, where every puzzle acted like a quick workout for curiosity, driving a 24% boost in click-to-open rates.
Whether it’s a riddle, crossword puzzle, word game, or a jigsaw, make sure it’s not too complex to solve.
And for even more motivation, consider offering attractive prizes like free delivery, discount codes, or limited-edition products.
An example of a puzzle to offer is a word game called Wordle. The game gives you six chances to predict the correct word of the day.
Usually, you have to go through your browser to play this game. But tools like Mailmodo bring Wordle to email.
7. Scavenger Hunts
Consider adding scavenger hunts to your gamified emails for even more complex game mechanics.
For example, you can embed a scavenger hunt game that allows users to control a character that has to complete a path to find a specific object.
Once they find the item, you can send the player to a landing page where they can claim their prize.
You could also implement this gamified element on your website or even in real life.
Toilet paper brand Who Gives a Crap invited its subscribers to look for specific items in their bathroom.
It’s like a “What does this say about you?” game. Subscribers who find 20+ items get the result “This is commode chaos.” Those who found the fewest items get the result, “That’s one minimalist loo.”
Even though there’s no prize or reward for completing the scavenger hunt, it adds an element of intrigue that you don’t get with a typical marketing email. Apart from its name, this quirkiness is what makes Who Gives a Crap stand out from other brands.
8. Choose Your Adventure
There’s nothing more exciting than engaging in an activity where you’re in charge of the outcome. Sure, it’s fun to be surprised, but there’s something about choosing your own adventure.
Sending these types of emails brings immersion and interactivity, making for a more memorable experience. For example, you can set up an email campaign encouraging your email list to choose from various options, each leading to a different outcome. This could be a unique offer or a tailored product recommendation.
And the best part is you’re building engagement and getting valuable insights into customer preferences.
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5 Best Practices for Gamified Email Campaigns
So, now that you know how to use gamification and incentives to boost your email marketing campaigns, you’re almost ready to draft your own.
However, there are a few best practices to follow when designing interactive email experiences.
1. Test before sending
Like any other email, it’s important to test your gamification emails before sending them out. Your email service provider should have a feature that allows you to preview your email to see how it looks on different devices.
2. Make the goal clear and attainable
Your subscribers likely won’t engage with your game if it’s unclear what to do. So, make the rules simple and clearly communicate the game’s goal to ensure a smooth experience.
3. Don’t overdo it
There’s nothing wrong with getting your subscribers involved with fun experiences within your emails. But do it in moderation. Otherwise, it’ll lose its wow factor.
4. Personalize the gaming experience
Making gamification elements unique to your subscribers adds even more enjoyment to the experience. At Growth Hackers, we worked with a subscription wellness brand that had flat gamification performance, and after integrating personalization to tailor challenges by user interest, they saw a 37% rise in completion rates for email games.
Consider using a composable CDP to gather customer data from different sources and integrate it into your gamification emails. This will create personalized gamification experiences that match different audience segments’ specific preferences and interests.
5. Get creative with sound
Gamification in email marketing doesn’t just mean using visuals like static images and animations in your emails. You can also add a sound for some extra pizzazz.
Use text-to-speech software, to easily generate captivating, dynamic voiceovers for game-themed videos. These videos can be embedded in your emails, providing an immersive experience and encouraging subscribers to interact with your content.
Plus, adding sound with text-to-speech assistive technology guarantees accessibility for all users, including those with visual impairments.
Adding an auditory layer to the visual experience can lead to higher open rates, increased click-throughs, and, ultimately, a more successful email marketing campaign. What’s not to love?
Level Up Your Email Marketing Campaigns with Gamification
Bring more magic to your emails with gamification. When it comes to the types of games, competitions, and activities to offer, there are so many options to choose from.
Get to know your customers so that you can offer gamification experiences that resonate with them and maximize their enjoyment.
And while they reap the rewards, so will you. From higher open rates to increased conversions, your emails can bring a whole new level of fun to your customer base.
Growth Hackers offers top-notch email marketing services helping businesses from all over the world grow. There is no fluff with Growth Hackers. We help entrepreneurs and business owners elevate their email campaigns with gamification and incentives, increase their productivity, generate qualified leads, optimize their conversion rate, gather and analyze data analytics, acquire and retain users and increase sales.
We go further than brand awareness and exposure. We make sure that the strategies we implement move the needle so your business grow, strive and succeed. If you too want your business to reach new heights, contact Growth Hackers today so we can discuss about your brand and create a custom growth plan for you. You’re just one click away to skyrocket your business.
